Surgical garment



July 18, 1939. B. c. MOTT SURGICAL GARMENT Filed April 6, 1937 Bessw (1.310%

/aflm Patented July 18,1939

UNlTED STATES mam EPATENT OFFEQE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical garments and its objects are as follows:

First, to provide an obstetrical and surgical garment which is made to envelop virtually the entire human body excepting the head and that portion which is to be treated in an operation.

Second, to provide a garment of the character stated which has integral arm, hand, leg and foot envelopes, the particular use of the arm and hand envelopes being to prevent the patients hands from contaminating anything that they might come into contact with.

Third, to provide double flaps for the crotch opening which tend to automatically close when the patient is not under observation unless held by the adjacent holders.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the application or the improved garment.

Figure 2 is a detail elevation of the crotch or" the garment, showing the flaps closed.

Figure 3 is a similar view Showing the flaps held back.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the rear of the garment.

As indicated by the foregoing statements of the objects of the invention, it is the purpose of the latter to envelop the human body as completely as possible preparatory to performing a surgical operation, one of the necessary exceptions of the encasement of the body being at the place where the incision is to be made. A particular advantage of a garment of this nature is the prevention of any possibility of chilling the body during the operation, so as to avoid complications which are apt to develop more easily when the subject is anesthetized than otherwise. The instant garment is provided with only one opening and it is in conjunction with this opening that several of the novel features of the invention exist.

Attention is now directed to the drawing in which the entire garment is generally designated 1. The garment comprises a hip enveloping portion 2 to the bottom of which a pair of leg and foot envelopes 3, 4 is attached in such a way as to leave a comparatively wide crotch 5 (Figs. 3 and 4) The leg and foot envelopes have ribbons 6 secured in place on top as at l and adapted to be tied at B on the under side in places just above the knees in order to hold the patients legs in position during an operation.

It will be observed that the hip enveloping portion 2 is quite ample in its portions. This provision makes the hip enveloping portion extend beyond the envelopes 3, t at the sides to form lateral pouches 9. These pouches insure plenty of room for the adjustment of the body and the expansion of the portion 2.

An opening ID is formed in the crotch 5. This opening is in the form of a slit which can be made as long as practice may demand. By preference the margin of the opening is piped at l l, although the provision of piping is not always essential. A pair of flaps I2 is secured at l3 on opposite sides of the opening l9. These flaps are wide enough to overlap (Fig. 2) and close the opening 10 when left to naturally fall intoposition (Fig. 1). This function of the flaps is automatic, because when they are left alone they will tend to fall across each other and across the opening thus closing it.

Bands M are attached at their ends as at IE to the hip enveloping portion 2 so as to lie substantially parallel to the axis of the opening H3. These bands are situated between the places of attachment of the leg and foot envelopes 3, 4 of the flaps l2. The purpose of these bands is to hold the flaps back (Fig. 3) when the flaps are inserted thereunder. This leaves the opening I0 unobstructed.

A bodice It is attached to the hip enveloping portion 2 along the waistline ill. The bodice comprises front and back portions l8, IS. The front portion is continuous up to the neck opening 20. The back portion 59 is slit at 2 i, and the slit communicates with the neck opening. The 35 back portion 19 has a fairly large cut-out which forms an opening 22. This opening is substantially triangular in form, and one of its purposes is to cool the back of the patient. Said opening begins at the sides of the waist line as indicated at 23 (Fig. 4). The margins of the slit 2| have attached ribbons 24 which will be tied together so as to substantially close the slit.

The bodice it has integral arm and hand envelopes 25, 26. There are ribbons 21 which are intended to be tied around the wrists as at 28 to insure keeping the hands in place. Thus far it will be understood that virtually the entire body of the patient is enveloped by the garment, the exception being the head of the patient, a portion of his or her back at the opening 22 and portions of the body at the crotch opening is. The patient is thus guarded to a large extent against chilling, and this advantage is derived by the additional fact of the garment being made of extra heavy weight material, for example muslin.

The back of the garment is provided with a draw portion 29 (Fig. 4) which may either comprise an elastic insert or a fabric piece which is very full along its margin 30. In the latter instance a pair of draw strings 3|, embodied in a tunnel 32 along the margin of the hip portion 2 and extending along the margin 30 of the draw portion, is adapted to be pulled as much as need be and then tied at 33. It is the near ends which emerge from the margin 30 that are tied as stated. The remote ends are secured at 34 at the approximate beginnings 23 of the opening 22. Whether the draw portion 29 comprises an elastic insert or consists of a fabric piece with means for drawing together, the idea is to pull the back of the hip enveloping portion 2 together, making it fit the body so snugly that it can lie flat on the operating table without any possibility of discomfort.

I claim:

A garment for obstetrical purposes comprising a hip enveloping portion having a wide crotch between leg openings, said crotch having an opening, a separate flap on each side of said opening, each flap being secured longitudinally of the crotch so as to conform to the rounded shape of a human body and thus impel said flaps to automatic closure, bands secured in said crotch under which to tuck the flaps when desiring to prevent said automatic closure, pouches embodied in said hip enveloping portion, each consisting of a lateral fullness extending down approximately in line with the crotch and offset from the leg openings.

BESSIE CRUMPLER MOTT. 

